Yesterday Congress
sent to the President for his signature S. 2078, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015 (
full text). The bill extends the life of USCIRF until September 2019, funds it at $3.5 million for each year and creates a compromise arrangement on Commission reforms. As reported by
World News Service:
The bill is close to a clean reauthorization and does not include the reforms [Sen. Marco] Rubio sought in his bill. It also does not include the reforms Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., wanted, elements of which the international religious freedom community said would act as “poison pills” to the commission.
Instead, the legislation gives the commission 60 days to craft a strategic plan and conduct an organizational review. A unanimous commission vote (or a majority of both party appointees) would enact any proposed changes – such as designating ISIS, Boko Haram, and other non-state actors as “countries of particular concern.”
[Thanks to Blog From the Capital for the lead.]
